Texans rookie Brown will become a bit less green soon

First-rounder ready to be tested by live action

Published 5:00 am, Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Duane Brown carries a pair of veterans' shoulder pads as he walks off the practice field.

Duane Brown carries a pair of veterans' shoulder pads as he walks off the practice field.

Photo: Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle

Texans rookie Brown will become a bit less green soon

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Duane Brown has already had his welcome-to-Houston moment. The stifling heat and humidity forced him from his third practice barely 24 hours after the Texans signed him to a contract that guarantees him at least $6.2 million.

It’s hoped his welcome-to-the-NFL moment, looming Saturday night against Denver, will be less humbling.

The Texans’ top draft choice and heir apparent at left offensive tackle owns up to having “a few butterflies” as he contemplates his first live combat as a pro. Others in the organization probably share at least a measure of his anxiousness, considering what the franchise has invested in him, how crucial his position is, and how relatively brief his ré sumé is . Remember, he entered Virginia Tech as a tight end — after playing only four games as a high school senior because of injuries.

The fact that Brown showed up for training camp some 10 pounds over his required reporting weight of 310 — “My metabolism just slowed down a little,” he protests sheepishly — raised minor concerns, but they appear to have dissipated in the wake of the supreme effort he has put forth trying to gain everyone’s confidence.

“He’s got a long way to go, but he’s progressing nicely,” offensive line coach John Benton insists, although he admits handing this most crucial of starting jobs to a 23-year-old who has only three years of seasoning at any level at tackle does make him a tad nervous.

“One of the reasons we liked Duane coming out was his mentality,” Benton said. “A, we thought he could handle it, and B, he would not abuse it. He’s a very competitive guy and very serious-minded. You need both of those things. He’s not going to think he’s got it made, and he’s not going to be overwhelmed by the situation.”

Tough first assignment

It’s hoped Brown’s daily study-hall sessions opposite Mario Williams, who found himself in the same oversized shoes two summers ago, have sufficiently prepared him for this first test against the Broncos. For at least a series, Brown will have to contend with the Broncos’ often confounding Elvis Dumervil, whose 12½ sacks in 2007 weren’t far behind Williams’ 14.

“Mario is a freakish athlete, and he comes here every day ready to work,” Brown said. “That’s making both of us better. I’m trying to show him some stuff, and he’s definitely showing me a lot of different things. I think I’ll be ready for Saturday.”

Many considered Brown the best pure athlete among all the Hokies last year, and his strength and quickness gave him an almost unfair advantage over undersized opponents. But his immense yet unrefined skills contributed to his allowing 8½ sacks as a senior, not the kind of number you normally associate with a player taken 26th overall in the draft by a team desperate for better pass protection.

“All I’m trying to do every day is get better with my technique,” Brown said. “Every day is a whirlwind. I’ve got to find a way to keep everything under control, to keep my head from spinning. Everybody here is a grade-A athlete. In college, some games you can let up on people. In the NFL, you’ve got to be ready to go hard every play, or you’ll get embarrassed.

“These are grown men out here who come to work to support their families. We’re on a rigorous schedule. Every day is long. You start at 8, and you don’t get out until almost 10 at night. The heat’s tough. It’s definitely mental as much as physical. There’s lots to learn, and you’ve got to push through the heat.

“But it’s my job. I need to come to work every day, too. I can’t worry about the heat, because it’s not going anywhere.”

Benton insists Brown has eagerly done what’s asked of him, once he got his camp legs under him. Of course, having crusty assistant head coach Alex Gibbs, whose primary focus is also the offensive line, on Brown’s back doesn’t allow for much laxity.

“Alex is one of a kind, a very unique guy,” Brown said. “He’s been doing this a long time with a lot of great players. He’s pretty funny sometimes. Other times …”

Brown paused.

“He can be very frank, but he definitely knows his stuff,” he said. “I like his (zone blocking) system. It’s not complicated, and I did something like it in college.”

There is a backup plan

Eleven-year veteran Ephraim Salaam, a reliable starter for the last 30 games at left tackle, remains in the wings, serving as an insurance policy, so the Texans shouldn’t sink if Brown can’t swim straightaway. But the job has been made the rookie’s to lose. Toward that end, head coach Gary Kubiak said Brown could play as much as a half against the Broncos as he pursues his football graduate degree.

“He’ll definitely play longer than the rest of the first group,” Kubiak said. “He needs reps. His playing time will be different from everyone else’s.”

Bring it on, Brown replies.

“Sounds good,” he said. “All the reps I can get, I’ll take. Practice is one thing, but going against guys you’ve never seen and don’t know much about is a whole other deal.”